CENSORED NEWS

April 4, 2020

Coronavirus on Navajo Nation: 270 cases and 12 deaths

270 total positive cases of COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation, four more deaths confirmed

By Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer

Censored News

The 270 confirmed positive cases include the following counties: Navajo County, AZ: 112; Apache County, AZ: 22; Coconino County, AZ: 83; McKinley County, NM: 15 *changed due to verification of residency for one individual; San Juan County, NM: 26; Cibola County, NM: 4; San Juan County, UT: 7; Socorro County, NM: 1.

Navajo Police Chief Phillip B. Francisco said enforcement officers will be issuing citations and fines for individuals who violate the Navajo Nation’s “Stay at Home Order” and daily curfew that requires all residents to be home between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

“We’re at a point where the number of new cases will continue to climb each day, unless everyone begins to take this matter serious. Today, we received reports of bingo games taking place in a few areas – this needs to stop immediately! We have a public health crisis going on, and this is the type of irresponsible activities that put us all at risk,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

“We have to meet our prayers half way by making smart decisions. Stay home, stay safe, save lives is the key to ending this pandemic. Unfortunately, it’s going to get worse before it gets better, but we are in this together. Many people are recovering from the virus and we hope to have an estimate on that number soon. Don’t lose hope because we will beat this together,” stated Vice President Myron Lizer.

The Navajo Nation’s daily curfew remains in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The curfew does not apply to essential employees reporting to or from duty, with official identification and/or a letter of designation from their essential business employer on official letterhead which includes a contact for verification.

President Nez and Vice President Lizer will hold another online town hall COVID-19 update on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (MDT) via Facebook. Radio forums are also scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. on KTNN 660AM and 101.5FM.

For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website at http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.

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Coronavirus on Navajo Nation spread from church gathering.
This is the second death made public of Dine' in the remote community of Navajo Mountain on the Arizona and Utah border, following the Chilchinbeto, Arizona, church gathering near Kayenta.
Sincere condolences to all the families.

Navajo Times
Navajo Mountain: Former chapter official fighting for life, son deceased:
https://navajotimes.com/reznews/former-chapter-official-fighting-for-life-son-deceased/

April 3, 2020

Tohono O'odham Ophelia Rivas 'Acknowledging the Ancestors and Living in Balance in this Age'

Photo and Commentary by Ophelia Rivas

Tohono O'odham

O'odham VOICE Against the Wall

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While a majority of my mentors are no longer physically present to guide me and instruct me through this new, but not unfamiliar attack on humanity, they are however very present spiritually.

Spiritually is a word that closely but not fully encompasses the living essence of ancestral strength and vibrancy.The spirituality essence of ancestors also does not fully define the presence of the living ancestors.

'From time immemorial' is used liberally to address historic acknowledgment, which is also a word that does not fully address this full acknowledgment.

It is truly humbling to begin to address the ancestors and the presence of the ancestors.

This is where I begin every day at the rising sun and at the setting sun.

To fully connect to all the essence of ancestors is simple, like a nod to a familiar face, a soft brush of a sweet flower to your face or the embrace of the salty mist of the ocean waters in total abandonment of yourself.

The wicked distortion and delusional facade of humanity today has exceeded the capacity of imbalance.

My understanding of my daily acknowledgment of the ancestors draws on balance. The capacity of balance is a peaceful, healthy and beautiful essence the ancestors from time immemorial acknowledged to continue true humanity and life.

This is the time to put into practice an understanding that every human is a vital and intricate part of all that is life. A strong but a minority of humanity has held the life of this world throughout time. I encourage every person this reaches to become apart of this strength to begin practicing an acknowledgment to the ancestors. This is an acknowledgment to the entire living world that has survived from beyond time immemorial.

Ophelia Rivas, O'odham VOICE Against the WALL

Ophelia's website: http://solidarity-project.org/

Navajo Nation coronavirus cases increase to 241 with eight deaths

Canyon de Chelly: History That Echoes Through the Canyons

241 total positive cases of COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation, 1,796 negative tests reported

By Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer

Censored News

French translation by Christine Prat

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Service, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center, reported that the total number of positive tests for COVID-19 has reached 241 for the Navajo Nation as of Thursday – an increase of 27 cases since Wednesday. There is now a total of eight confirmed deaths related to COVID-19. They also reported that there is an overall total of 1,796 individuals who have tested negative for COVID-19.

The 241 confirmed positive cases include the following counties: Navajo County, AZ: 104; Apache County, AZ: 22; Coconino County, AZ: 63; McKinley County, NM: 16
San Juan County, NM: 25; Cibola County, NM: 4 and San Juan County, UT: 7.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer continue to push for more test kits and for on-site laboratory testing to be made available on the Navajo Nation, which would increase testing and expedite the processing of results.

“The Navajo Police will start issuing citations soon for individuals who violate the curfew that’s in place. We’re seeing a higher number each day because people continue to go out into public. The only way we’re going to beat the virus is to stay home as much as possible,” said President Nez, who continued efforts on Thursday to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess additional sites on the Nation for medical stations.

“We need everyone to fight for our frontline workers by staying home as much as possible and practicing social distancing. The sooner all of us stay home and follow the preventive measures, the sooner we will begin to see a decline in new cases. Our prayers are with all of our Navajo people each day as we continue the fight together,” Vice President Lizer stated.

The Navajo Nation’s daily curfew remains in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The curfew does not apply to essential employees reporting to or from duty, with official identification and/or a letter of designation from their essential business employer on official letterhead which includes a contact for verification.

For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website at http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.

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Navajo Times: Dennehotso family shares how family is dealing with mother's coronavirus at home. https://navajotimes.com/reznews/dennehotso-family-shares-experience-with-coronavirus/

April 2, 2020

Winslow Indian Health Center: Three coronavirus patients died before reaching hospital

Dr. Gregory Jarrin is a general surgeon at Winslow Indian Health Care Center, located south of the Navajo and Hopi Nations in Arizona.

Today, April 2, 2020, the Navajo Nation reports 214 coronavirus cases and 7 deaths.

KNAU RADIO FLAGSTAFF -- Melissa Sevigny: There’s a lot of concern with coronavirus overwhelming the capacity of our healthcare workers and our hospitals. Do you have a sense that that’s happening in Winslow?

Dr. Gregory Jarrin: In Winslow recently we’ve had three deaths in the community, none of which reached the hospital alive. We’ve been getting increasing numbers of cases in our emergency room and increasing numbers being diagnosed. Over the weekend we’ve had multiple admissions, but we are not yet overwhelmed. However in Tuba City and Flagstaff I know they have been much more overwhelmed. In Tuba City… they’re having a problem with staffing, there are a lot of people who have called out sick.

Listen and read more at KNAU:

https://www.knau.org/post/winslow-doctor-speaks-about-coronavirus-navajo-nation